The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-16
The French and German Forces.

Both in her land and her sea forces France
has a peace effective numerically superior to
that of Germany. TIE difference is greatest in
the navy, and there also it could not be made
up. should war occur at any time before 1890;
yet, though it may seem a contradiction, in the
navy this French numerical superiority is the
least important Germany has no colonies
worth attacking, and her comparatively short
coast line at home, where accessible at all, is
well provided with defenses, while France has
long coast line to guard. Above all, the tre
mendous vigor with which the war on land
would be waged between these powers would
make it the decisive element just in 1870,
when the French naval superiority was even
more marked than to-day. it yet availed
nothing. For this reason it is not important
to compare the naval forces Of the two coun-
tries.
The army peace establishment Of France is
the larger, but in population and potential arms
bearing resources Germany has the advantaoa
France has the greater debt and heavier taxes 10
sustain, out from these taxes the government
receives the ampler appropriations each year for
military and naval purposes. The peace effect
i've of the French army, according to last wears
budget, is 523. 2S3, comprising 81 140 officers and
492, 143 enlisted men, Major Huberding of the
German War Ministry, in reporting recently to
the special committee of the Reichstag on the
army bill, estimated the French peace force of
enlisted men at only AL 900, possibly subtracing
either the gendarmerie, numbering %, 1925, or
else the military schools and bureau troops
which, combined, amount to 2l 000 The peace
footing of the German empire comprises 18. 143
officers and AZ, pa men, making an aggregate of
445. Az Thus in the peace effective the advant-
| tage is clearly on the side OF the French. The
/! news of yesterday, however. announces that
6s: 600 infantry and !, 500 rifiemen, making to-
| tai or ZOO men, of the German reserves have
been summoned to drill during the present week,
SO that for the next fortnight the effective force
with the colors will be about as great on the
| German side.
! Turning to the war footing the first addition
OF France would be what is called the territorial
| army, which comprises aggregate of GIG, 900
| officers and men. Other additions might carry
the total effective under the first call up to /
| 600, 600 men, including all arms and staff serv-
| ices. The German mobilization for q war foot
| ing, without the landsturm and special organi-
| zations but including garrison and field re-
serves would comprise 80, 427 officers and ,456-
667 men. with about 81. .0o0 more for the medical
| and collateral forces. Thus we see again how
mercal strenrth When NV 1 ..as..rs.. Is :s 8aissa
out on the one side and it's French equivalent on
| the other. the Germans have an ultimate superb
| ority of numbers, although the French nominal
y counterpoise the advantage of population by
making larger ratio of their people liable to a
military service Still, SO far numbers are
concerned the French would be much better of
at the outset than in 1870 Were it possible fol
them, by sudden dash to invade Alsace and
Lorraine, and neutraze the advantage in bopu
lation which their possession gives to the Ger
mans, a new face might be put upon the strug
GLE The German Notifications, military skill
and watchfulness, however, and the probabilit,